After Dead-Tree

Marion Maneker imagines the future of publishing:

An author who has already built momentum through the Kindle will have no incentive to give away the lion's share to the publisher. Instead, he'll take no advance upfront, let the publisher charge a high fee until certain fixed costs are paid off, and then demand the majority of the profit after distribution costs.

Successful writers will be able to do that because Amazon is already establishing the pattern. When you see Stephen King writing something directly for the Kindle, you can be sure Amazon is giving him the bulk of the $2.99 it receives for each copy of UR. How long until he demands the same split from Scribner?

Whatever helps break writers from the insane rules, incomprehensible remuneration and anti-intellectualism of the mainstream marketing publishing industry is a good thing.